Choctaw Nation Lauded by Senate for Support of National Guard
and Reserve

The Choctaw Nation was honored by the Oklahoma State
Senate Thursday for its outstanding support of the National Guard
and Reserve as well as veterans. Sen. Jay
Paul Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, was author of Senate Resolution
48, praising the tribe which was the recipient of the 2008 Pro
Patria Award—the highest honor bestowed for support of military
men and women. The Choctaw Nation was also awarded the 2008 Secretary
of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award.

“Oklahomans who serve our country do so at tremendous personal
expense and risk. The Choctaw Nation has gone above and beyond
to support those men and women,” Gumm said. “They
are a shining example of how employers and communities can go
that extra mile for our military personnel.”

The Choctaw Nation provides pay differential, 30 days paid military
leave per year, insurance, care packages and phone cards as well
as equipment, including special knives and walkie-talkies which
were sent to the 95th Reservists so that transport teams could
communicate during low visibility.

“The Choctaw Nation has long supported the defense of our
nation, with citizens fighting for America in World War I who
became the original code talkers—and this was at a time
when they did not even have full citizenship rights within the
United States,” Gumm said.

The Choctaw Tribal Council also funds a Veterans Advocacy Program,
an annual Veterans Ceremony, and has provided property and funding
for a Veterans Cemetery. The tribe also purchased an ultrasound
machine for detecting embedded shrapnel in wounded soldiers, and
has provided emergency assistance for families while military
members are deployed.

Chief Gregory E. Pyle said it was an honor to appear before the
Senate, and noted the Choctaw nation supported both Choctaw and
non-Choctaw troops and alike.

“You can’t ask any more from the veterans,”
Pyle said. “They leave their families, their wives and their
children and sometime they don’t return home, so you can’t
do too much for them.”For more information contact:
Sen. Gumm's Office - 405-521-5586